SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BUTTERFLIES

Hesperilla chrysotricha cyclospila (Meyrick and Lower)   (Chrysotricha Sedge-skipper)

First instar larva soon after emerging from egg

Second instar larva

Final instar larvae

Final instar, closeup of head (form with inverted pale V mark above mouth)

Drawing of anal-plate secondary setae (ideal type)

Fifth instar, magnified anal-plate secondary setae

An Ichneumonid parasitoid wasp.
Wasp pupa on left developed during the final instar stage of the skipper larva, killing it before it could pupate.
The remains of the skipper larva skin are to the right of the wasp pupa.
The adult wasp is shown in the right photo, sitting on its empty pupa case.

A Gahnia trifida tussock about 1 m high, carrying many larval shelters
indicated by the loops in the leaves

(A closeup of central shelter in photo above).
Mature larva-pupal shelter, showing the slight twist to the leaves.
The opening is on the right hand side of the shelter

Photography by R. Grund